Teaching German

Travel

Blogger Steve Hänisch introduces himself

Globetrotter is one of the weekly segments in the TV travel guide Check-in. Here, video blogger Steve Hänisch will be showing his travel videos from around the world.

Today Chile, tomorrow Lapland: Steve Hänisch lives what most people only dream. He’s backpacked his way through 42 countries so far, getting to know the people and seeing the most beautiful sights. He chronicles his impressions in a blog in the form of short videos he shoots himself wherever possible. In the past few years, he’s become established professionally as a video blogger, taking assignments from international marketing firms and writing travel guides. Now Steve Hänisch has a regular slot on Check-In.

Steve, what appealed to you about working for DW’s new magazine Check-in?

Steve Hänisch: What appealed to me was the dynamic, interactive format. Another aspect is that now I can take along even more travel buffs on my tours.

Why exactly did you get started blogging?

It all started with a trip to Chile six years ago. I wanted to visit a very good friend who was living there at the time. I stayed for three weeks and toured the country. As a way of sharing the journey with friends and family, I started a blog and chronicled my experiences daily.

Why do you like to work with videos so much?

They give me the feeling that I can bring my viewers in much closer – they can see it with their own eyes. And I can convey my experiences, impressions and feelings much better. It’s a lot easier if I report on things immediately, while I’m still there, instead of writing about them after the fact, when they’ve already become a memory.

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Newfoundland with blogger Steve Hänisch

Newfoundland with blogger Steve Hänisch

What’s the daily life of a blogger like? Is there such a thing?

Basically, it’s a job like any other – with the difference that your office and working conditions are constantly changing. When I’m traveling, I try to take the time to get to know the people and places really well. And once I’m back in Germany, I sit in an office quite normally, edit the content and organize my next trips. I generally spend about half the year on the road and the other half in my office in Hamburg.

Why do you think people use your blog?

I can put across my impressions on a more personal level than the big magazines and travel guides do. Many people can identify with my traveling style, so they become regular viewers or readers. Many come looking for tips like you’d get from other travelers at a hostel - very honest and straightforward tips. When I recommend lodging, for example, I don’t mention the beautiful view from the balcony - I point out the modest breakfast buffet or the slow WiFi (and to many people, that’s more important than breakfast!)

Do you get a lot of feedback?

I get messages daily. I might turn questions that come up regularly into articles. For instance, many users wanted to know what it’s like to travel through South America as a woman. So I looked around for a woman guest reporter who had spent a lot of time there, and she wrote about her personal experiences in my blog.

Have you gotten to where you’re able to live from blogging?

That must be the most frequent question people ask me. Yes, in combination with my video production, I’m able to live from blogging now. But it took me three years to get to this point. And I had to invest lots of money. At first, I kept the blog more as a hobby project and saved up the capital from what I made at my old office job to set up on my own.

What makes you so successful?

Now I’m getting 130,000 users per month. I’m sure one selling point is that I blog in German and English, so I reach more people. On top of that come the social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube that I post to while on my travels. And because of that greater exposure, I get inquiries from people who’d like to work together with me.

How much do you yourself determine the content of your posts?

I regularly turn down requests if I either don’t have enough say in the content or if the places or activities don’t agree with me. I don’t turn out the classical infomercials – I put trips together that suit for me and my readers best. A good example is the official marketing video I made for Bulgaria. When I got that request, I spontaneously decided to move to the capital Sofia for a while, so I could really get to know the country well. I ended up staying for six months and traveling around the whole country, collecting impressions and producing many other videos along with the actual assignment. That’s shows very well how I can combine my lifestyle with earning money.

What was one of your finest moments on the road?

That was a few weeks ago, when I was hitchhiking through Chile. One rainy afternoon, I’d been standing with my traveling companion on the side of the road in La Junta for seven hours, and none of the cars would pick us up. But suddenly, a dump truck stopped. The driver’s cab was already packed with hitchhikers though, so the driver pointed at the truck bed. After a moment’s hesitation, we climbed up and saw that seven other people were already sitting in there and having a little party. We listened to music, drank wine and had lots of fun, even though at the same time, it was one of the most uncomfortable rides I’d ever had.

What countries have you got on your wish list?

Right at the top are Japan, Colombia and New Zealand.

Do you want to keep on blogging forever?

A clever person once said, ‘Find a job you really love, and you’ll never again have to work a day in your life.’ I think I’ve found that exact job as well as just the right balance between going on the road and being at home. The frequency and tempo of my travels may change over the years, but I’m sure the desire to see new things and share them with the rest of the world won’t fade any time soon. The world is beautiful, and life is short. So I’m trying to make the best of my time here and get to know the tremendous diversity of our planet.

A Man and his Blog

Majestic landscapes

Canada is the perfect place for nature lovers like me. It has fjords to rival Norway’s. The Western Brook Pond is one of the most imposing sites in Newfoundland.

A Man and his Blog

The pulse of the times

Even though I come to London mainly to take in the annual travel fair, I spend much of my time here exploring. On one of my nocturnal photo shoots, I couldn’t pass up the city’s emblematic clock.

A Man and his Blog

Pisco Sour on glacier ice

Chile with its geographical diversity is one of my very favorite countries. Here I am in Torres del Paine National Park. The ice of the Grey Glacier is impressive - and ideal for use in a wonderful Pisco Sour, Chile’s national drink.

A Man and his Blog

Glowing pinnacles

The Torres del Paine National Park’s landmark is its three needle-like granite towers. This morning view in the rising sun is definitely worth waking up at 5 a.m.

A Man and his Blog

The way is the goal

Hitchhiking along the Carretera Austral, I rode part of the way with like-minded travelers in the bed of a dump truck… wine in take-away coffee, cups included :)

A Man and his Blog

Patagonia, the borderland

My favorite region in South America is Patagonia, which lies near Chile in Argentina. On a four-day walking tour around Mount Cerro Huemul near El Chaltén, we slept on the shore of the glacial lake. To our surprise, some small icebergs multiplied over night.

A Man and his Blog

Other countries, other styles

This picture was taken at a popular village festival during my trip to Ecuador. The guinea pig fashion show was definitely the quirkiest event. The prize for the winning costume was a sack of rice.

A Man and his Blog

Take a snapshot

Of course, my destinations also include the classics. The bright Escadaria Selarón between the hotspots Santa Teresa and Lapa in Brazil’s megalopolis Rio de Janeiro is a real eye-catcher.

A Man and his Blog

Death Road

Many fatal accidents have given Bolivia’s Yungas Road near La Paz a reputation as one of the most dangerous in the world. The edge of this extremely narrow road drops up to 600 meters into the abyss. I raced along it on a mountain bike.

A Man and his Blog

Taste travels

On my trips, I always make it a point to try regional snacks. The King coconut is an absolute must in Sri Lanka. It tastes best fresh from a street vendor, and the price is better, too!

A Man and his Blog

A nighttime trip

I have fond memories of Lapland in northern Finland. During the day, I traveled by dog sled. In the evening, I went cross-country on skis for my photo tour. Here, you need snowshoes to get around.